Rik Stabel | Instagram Q&A

December 6, 2017

@rkstbl (Rik Stabel)

@rkstbl, a.k.a. Rik Stabel, is an all-round graphic designer, working at GoodHabitz. His Instagram timeline is full of cool Eindhoven animations, making us curious to know more about the man behind these graphic masterpieces. Followers: 448, following: 326.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?

My biggest source of inspiration is Alexander Calder, an American artist. In my first year at the Art Academy I watched a documentary about him during art history class. His frivolous view on art was an eye opener for me. Someone once asked him when he thinks a piece of art is finished. His answer: “When my wife says dinner is ready.” The fact that he doesn’t have a competitive spirit really appealed to me. I also think The Gorrilaz are really cool. I am a huge fan of their music and the animations in the videoclips keep inspiring me.

What do you do when you are not on Instagram?

I work as a designer at an Eindhoven based company called GoodHabitz. I design magazines for online training purposes. Outside of work I form a collective with a couple of former fellow students, called Les Projecteurs. With Les Projecteurs we have a small office space in TAC, where I make most of my illustrations. The creative environment of TAC is unique. You can work together in peace and there are often great parties or exhibitions.

I also love to work out. Every Sunday you can find me on the football pitch, playing in the lowest class of amateur football. I also love running (in October I ran my third half marathon) and cycling.

What is your favorite hashtag?

My searches are rarely based on hashtags, but I do use them to specify my posts. Because I mostly make illustrations of Eindhoven, I usually end up with hashtags like #eindje and #illustration. These are the two hashtags I use most.

What post are you most proud of?

I guess that would be my first animation. That’s where I put in most work, by far. It’s a short animation of a skateboarder performing an ollie (skateboarding trick). In the background, you see La Folie, a cafe where I love to grab a beer. In the future, I want to make more short animations that refer to Eindhoven.

What is the most photogenic spot in Eindhoven?

Although Eindhoven skylines are always cool, I somehow always opt for the hidden treasures. The first locations that come to mind are the attic of cafe the Rozenknop and the restroom of La Folie, haha. A toilet as a photogenic place... Might sound weird, but that’s where a lot of photoshoots are held, so I’ve heard.

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